China mandates ‘No fire, no explosion’ safety rule for EV batteries

By Phong Ngo December 28, 2025 | 08:00 pm PT

China has made its electric-vehicle battery safety requirements compulsory for the first time, introducing a strict “no fire, no explosion” rule as part of a sweeping update to national standards, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

The updated EV battery safety requirements are part of a revised set of national standards across 13 key sectors, issued under an action plan by seven government departments. These new regulations will take effect on July 1, 2026, with a transition period for existing EVs approved under previous standards, extending to July 1, 2027, CarNewsChina reported.

The updated framework targets three main areas: tighter energy-efficiency and emissions benchmarks, stronger requirements for product safety and quality, and expanded rules on battery recycling and circular use.

Under the new standards, power batteries used in electric vehicles must not ignite or explode—criteria that are now mandatory technical requirements at the national level for the first time.

China's BYD electric car ATTO 3. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Nhan

Liu Hongsheng of China’s State Administration for Market Regulation said the move marks a significant advance in EV safety oversight. He noted that the compulsory standards will push automakers to improve battery design and thermal-management systems, resulting in safer new-energy vehicles, Interesting Engineering reported.